The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-24
COVERED BY HOT GOALS.
THE COMAL'S CHIEF ENGINEER
ARRESTED FOR MURDER.

Taken From the Furnace over tn,
Body of a Coal-Handler Who Was
Sick and Afterward of Beating Hin
to Death.
From the New York World
GALVESTON, TEX, Oct. 20-Upon the
arrival of the Mallory steamship Coma
from New York yesterday the master of tn,
vessel Capt. john Risk, reported that dur
ing the voyage a coal-passer, John il
Graham, of New York, had died of over
heat and cramps and had been buried al
sea. This was the substance of Capt. Risk
report at the Naval Office, as required by
the United States statute in such cases
Nothing more was thought Of tie matter
during the day and no suspicion of fou
play existed at the custom house. 1t was
therefore, a matter of surprise when later
one of the coal handlers named Riley, who
made the trip with Graham, visited the
office of the United States Commissioner
and made affidavit charging William r. Nc
Cuilough Chief Engineer of the Comal,
with the willful murder of Graham.
Riley's story, for savage and deviiish inhu-
manity almost surpasseS belief In sub
stance, he swore that he was working in the
were four days out from New York, Ora
ham, while in the tireroom at work, com
planned TO him Riley and others of being
sick and unable to "hold up his end on the
work Shortly after this Chief Engineer
Mccullough came i'll and found Graham
lying down, apparently sleeping, where
upon the engineer remarked, IN wake you
up,n and suiting the action to the word he
deliberately took large shovel and scoop
it full of red hot Goals from the furnace, he
poured them over the PROSTATE form of the
sick man, and followed up the work by
beating and abusing Graham as he lay
writhing under the burning coal.
Riley further Swears that within fifteen
minutes after Engineer Mccullough had
first assaulted Graham the latter was a
corpse, and the body was Immediately re-
moved to the engine-room and laid upon n
grating. Perhaps the most extraordinary
statement made by Riley is that the body of
the dead man was kept on ice until the
steamship was within twelve hours run Of
Galveston, and was then buried at sea. The
commissioner Immediately issued warrant
charging Mccullough with murder on the
high seas, and he was arrested while aboard
the vessel by deputy United States mar
shal and committed to Jail Five witnesses
We're also arrested to await the sitting of the
Federal grand jury. Engineer Mccullough
is about 43 years old and is a resident of
New York city.
District Attorney McComb arrived here
this morning and, appearing before Com
missioner Spann, drew up a formal aftiida-
Wit charging the prisoner with murder, and
the complainant was taken from the jail
and arraigned in the United States Court
John DOugherty testified as follows: Was
member of the Comal's crew, but left her
yesterday. Mccullough was chief Engineer,
and Graham was a coal-pasSer. Witness
saw him a short time both before and after
his death, which was caused by illtreat-
ment. II saw Mccullough catch him by
the shoulders, and, finding him unable TO
work, got on to him and struck him with
his fist Then he put the shovel into the
furnace and got out fire and threw it about
him. He then got up and the engineer
again got another shovel of fire and threw
it on Graham and struck him with bar of
iron about three feet long and over an inch
thick hitting him on the back. | do not
know how often he struck him. Graham
was a sickly man, weighing about 100
pounds. Mccullough was much the more
powerful man.
when Graham fell Mccullough dragged
him over the ashes and Goals a distance of
about fifteen feet. | then went out, and
when | came back Graham was lying in the
engine room dead. | did not interfere. as
was sick and weak and could have made no
defense. The assault occurred about two
days before the ship reached Key West.
Graham's body was put on ice and kept for
about five 6av; ana Wa buried the day be-
fore the sh;a reached the bar | do not
know that any physician examined him
saw his back blistered from the fire. The
man was SICK chen we left New York
II think he had been on the Comal about
four months; had known Graham from
the time he boarded the ship, and | had
been on her about -four months. When
Graham came aboard he did not appear to
be sick, but he was unwell the first watch
when she went to sea. He complained of
cramps and shortness of breath, supposed
TO be tine effects of drinking. On the Sun
day and Monday following our departure
his condition was bad and continued SO on
Tuesday. He could not stand the heat of
the fire-room. He was on my watch work
ing a little. | did my own work and part
of his. Before the chief engineer came
into the fire-room the second engi-
neer brought Graham down, but /
did not see him. He told Graham be
must get his ashes out of the way or he
would call the chief The ashes are meas
ured every four hours Graham complained
of cramps. When Mccullough came down
Graham was sitting down and / was put
ting coal into the fire room from the bunk
ers The chief engineer got fire from the
furnace and threw it on Graham, who was
SUING close 10 the ASH pie Inc engineer
struck him with his hand, saying he would
have no laying up | am not mistaken
about his striking Graham with an iron
bar, but the blow was light one, not per-
haps hard enough to hurt him. He also
threw live Goals on him. / did not hear
what was said distinctly. When the ashes
were thrown on him the second time Ora
ham fell. Then l noticed that his shirt was
off"
Michael Flynn knew Graham and also
Mccullough. He saw the chief engineer
compel Graham to work. Tho chief then
dragged him about, struck him with his
hand and a bar of iron about two and halt
inches thick. Witness saw the chief ST. ike
him with the shovel and also with a bar;
saw him throw a little red shower of fire on
Graham ito make him work. Witness
had not been threatened if he testified in the
case. The last thing he saw was the Chief
dragging him up to give him some cramp
medicine. The man died in few minutes
after the difficulty.
Commissioner Spann held the defendant
in the sum of 5000 for his appearance at
the November term of the United States
Court. The witnesses were required either
to give bail or be committed Mccullough
gave bond, with Capt J. n SAWYER anc
George S. Ely as eureties, who also signed
the bonds Of John Mahoney and Michael
Flynn, coal passers in the SUN of $50 each
for their appearance as witnesses. join
Doughelty and Henry Gordon, witnesses fol